THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE ― These Findon Chronicles are created by Valerie Martin and are progressively growing to be the only record of life around Findon, West Sussex, England. Everyday stories about real people..... in fact, a potted history of the village. The topics today, are the history of tomorrow

THE MYSTERY OF WEST HILL BARN

Copyright Valerie Martin 2003

Map dated 1963 indicating the West Hill Barn area.  Click to enlarge

When I first moved to Findon in the autumn of 1993, I could see the outline of a wall or building high on West Hill from my bungalow.  The trees have since grown up and the building has disappeared from my view.  I have since discovered this to be West Hill Barn and guess it comes under land belonging to Rogers Farm.

Hidden among the trees covered with ivy are the crumbling derelict buildings.   They had originally been substantially built of brick and flint at an undetermined date.

A corner of the remaining barn on the northern side.

 

 

1st May 2003.

Valerie

I was at the West Sussex Records Office yesterday and took the opportunity to look up the West Hill barn on the Tithe Map of 1839 and  the apportionment book.

The barn was just in the parish of Durrington near the boundary with Findon parish.

I had hoped the map would reveal a dwelling but it was just a barn
and yard.

The land owners were Henry Pelling and William Tribe - trustees for
Mary Ann and Peter Francis, Frank and Harry Pelling, William Richardson and ? Westbrooke. The occupiers were H. Young and J Varning.

The extent of the land held by the trustees and occupiers was as follows:-
Part of Down — down with furze — 14 acres 2r  25p
Part of New Forest — plantation — 11 acres 0r 20p (a wood nearby)
Part of Down — down — 6 acres 2r 13p

BARN & YARD — down — 27p
Manor piece — arable — 18 acres 2r 21p
The 7 Acres — arable — 6 acres 1r 4p

House and garden (This was several miles south - perhaps in the region of the Lamb public house in Durrington)
Rent charged was £5. 19. 5d p a
Tithe owner - Magdalen College Oxford.

I looked at the 1841 census for Durrington and the only Young listed was Hugh Young an agricultural labourer aged 40 living with his wife, Alice, and children James 12,  Sarah 10 and John 5.

There was no J.Varning.

Hope you can make sense of this!

Pam Stepney.

 

 

West Hill Barn is shown on the above 1875 map and appears as quite a complex now in the undergrowth — with the two buildings joined by an enclosing walled area — perhaps at one time containing stock.   The position of the entrance is unknown as the walls are very broken.

 

A section of the wall on the northern side.

 

And another view of the north wall of the buildings.

A map dated 1914 indicates that part of the southern wall now encompasses a building also —

After this date, the barn complex disappears from any maps I have, although the area has stood the test of time and survived the First and Second World War — the latter maybe in a demolished state.

A well is also situated immediately to the north of the buildings (within a few feet) as shown above.   The sinking is now filled with rubble and flints.  

The well surprised me as being so high on the downland I thought there would be no water but it seems an underground spring has been tapped that runs through the hillside.   This spring continues down to Rogers Farm below West Hill and is still monitored by the Environmental Agency.

 

22nd April 2003.

Valerie -

During the war we occasionally made excursions to West Hill barn which was regarded as being a bit of a spooky place, and it was close by that we discovered the crates of those highly dangerous phosphorous grenades I told you about.

There was also a complex of trenches cut into the hill, and some very dank and  smelly underground dug outs.

 
 
Tony.

Tony Hammond, East Preston, West Sussex.

 

 

 

22nd April 2003.

Valerie -

I have no idea who owned the Barn during the war, the strange thing about it was that whilst it was a bit of a mess there appeared to be signs of something going on there.

We had ideas of German spies hiding out there or black marketers at the very least.

 
Tony.

Tony Hammond, East Preston, West Sussex.

 

 

 

23rd April 2003.

Valerie -

I really can't remember very much about West Hill barn, we certainly didn't venture inside which I think is a clear indication that it was fairly well worn during my time in Findon.

I can recall that the entrance to the barn was well worn, not at all overgrown which indicates that there was some activity either inside or in the immediate area.

 
Tony.

Tony Hammond, East Preston, West Sussex.

 

 

I have not been able to discover much more about West Hill Barn..... and why it eventually went out of use and was abandoned to the elements.  John Greves from Walton on Thames gave me a clue clues....

 

22nd March 2006

Hello Valerie - I have just come across your site following the Time Team program.

Mother was widowed and bought "Huon Pine" Horsham Road during WW2 when Findon was in a "restricted area". She lived there until she died in 1980.

I went to St John Baptist school from '45 to '51 going on to Steyning GS and Brighton Art School, qualified as an Architect in the big city.

Have now written down 60 Findon surnames off the top of my head - so the memory is still active.

--- and yes there were crested newts in Tolmare Pond we used to find them with our toes.

--- John Pull was a bit embarrased when we asked him how he knew a skeleton was femail.

--- and er um - who was responsible for burning down West Barn? His dad was a magistrate!

You have obviously covered the area pretty well - if there are gaps - please get in touch.



John C. Greves Walton on Thames, Surrey.

 

I do not like puzzles one little bit..... but I did not have to go far down the road to guess who John was speaking of.
But no more conundrums please.

Continue if you would like to read...The Dumbrell Family of Stable Cottage at Rogers Farm

 

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Do let me know of anything you hear about Findon - not too controversial.   Please note that opinions expressed in the Findon Chronicles are not necessarily reflective of my own thoughts.... but just sometimes they might be!